Magazine Watch and the Economy and writing

Rattle Magazine will be putting out a special African American poetry issue in June 2009. I just got word that a poem of mine "Cartographer" was accepted for publication. This is exciting news, because it is the title poem of my new manuscript....my new project. I am hoping to actually send it out today for the National Poetry Series competition.

I know of some really good poets who will be sharing the pages with me :). Be on the lookout for this zine.

In other news....all of my loves are gearing up (or have already arrived) for the AWP conference in Chicago. I decided to forego this year. I might have felt a little better about this decision if the weather was a blizzard and everyone was stuck in the airport or stranded, then I could think: "I made the right decision in staying home". However, it's supposed to be in the 60's...everyone is meeting up...and I'm missing all of it. But oh well.

I want updates from those of you out there who are going! If you ARE going...look for information about my book in the bookfair. The South Carolina Poetry Initiative has a table. On the table should be a poster and flier!!! Pick one up. Take a picture with my poster :). It's definitely sexy enough, haha. The cover art for the book, that is.

Any other writerly things? More layoffs in the publishing world. This makes me sad. But I'm still optimistic that we will persevere. We have to. I'm not saying that I'm concerned with the economy going as it is. But I am saying that it's not stopping me from investing in the things that I believe in. Like poetry and the arts.

This was a conversation I had with a friend, Aracelis Girmay (author of "Teeth"). We were talking about what we "need" and what we "want" and how we determine differences between the two, and how these two things should (or will or do) govern how we spend our money. This was an interesting list. I started thinking about "food" "transportation" -- you know..the basic needs. She began saying "I need to go to shows and cultural events". She said, "I want to eat out, but I don't need to eat out." And that put everything into perspective for me. I began to alter my list:

Needs: (and how I budget my time and money)
-Bikram Yoga/some exercise
-Poetry Readings
-Books
-Music (live and albums)
-things that make me feel good like cupcakes.
-Cultural events: museums, art shows, good indy films etc etc

Wants: (They can wait...my quality of life will not lessen because of this lack)
-new furniture
-trips outside of the city (Like Chicago for AWP. That was a want. I could not find a need.)
-new clothes

Of course food and transportation and rent and bills are necessities. Why should we list them off? What we should be thinking about is investing in what we need to keep us sane. To keep our heart going. To keep our mind above the valley of depression.

This week I went to see Medicine for Melancholy. I went on Monday. After a long day at both work places. I treated myself to spicy shrimp fried rice and diet ginerale. I walked over to the theater and bought the ticket and went in. This was a need. I needed some sort of creative stimulation that allowed me to rest a bit, while taking in beauty...in other creative acts. It was a good choice...and is keeping me going this week. What would I have done without it? Who knows. I just know that I can deny myself certain things (these shoes i really really _want_ that I walk by almost everyday) in order to provide myself the necessary things: a book for train rides, a movie, maybe a music show. And not only, do I believe this move keeps my sanity, keeps me alive....if we all invested in the things we "needed", and adjust the need based on what will keep us happy, then I think a lot less loss would be happening in the world. Writers would understand they need books. And would continue to invest some money there. Readers would understand that they ened books and continue to buy. Bookstores wouldn't see big losses because people wouldn't be scared to invest in their life, and layoffs wouldn't happen...and so on and so forth. Maybe this is widly optimistic. But, I can say that Strand and Barnes and Noble and Borders won't go under by my hands....